Magnetic media are widely used in various applications, particularly in the computer industry for data/information storage and retrieval applications, typically in disk form, and efforts are continually made with the aim of increasing the areal recording density, i.e., bit density of the magnetic media. Conventional thin film thin-film type magnetic media, wherein a fine-grained polycrystalline magnetic alloy layer serves as the active recording layer, are generally classified as “longitudinal” or “perpendicular”, depending upon the orientation of the magnetic domains of the grains of magnetic material.
A portion of a conventional longitudinal recording, thin-film, hard disk-type magnetic recording medium 1 commonly employed in computer-related applications is schematically illustrated in FIG. 1 in simplified cross-sectional view, and comprises a substantially rigid, non-magnetic metal substrate 10, typically of aluminum (Al) or an aluminum-based alloy, such as an aluminum-magnesium (Al—Mg) alloy, having sequentially deposited or otherwise formed on a surface 10A thereof a plating layer 11, such as of amorphous nickel-phosphorus (Ni—P); a seed layer 12A of an amorphous or fine-grained material, e.g., a nickel-aluminum (Ni—Al) or chromium-titanium (Cr—Ti) alloy; a polycrystalline underlayer 12B, typically of Cr or a Cr-based alloy; a magnetic recording layer 13, e.g., of a cobalt (Co)-based alloy with one or more of platinum (Pt), Cr, boron (B), etc.; a protective overcoat layer 14, typically containing carbon (C), e.g., diamond-like carbon (“DLC”); and a lubricant topcoat layer 15, e.g., of a perfluoropolyether. Each of layers 11-14 may be deposited by suitable physical vapor deposition (“PVD”) techniques, such as sputtering, and layer 15 is typically deposited by dipping or spraying.
In operation of medium 1, the magnetic layer 13 is locally magnetized by a write transducer, or write “head”, to record and thereby store data/information therein. The write transducer or head creates a highly concentrated magnetic field which alternates direction based on the bits of information to be stored. When the local magnetic field produced by the write transducer is greater than the coercivity of the material of the recording medium layer 13, the grains of the polycrystalline material at that location are magnetized. The grains retain their magnetization after the magnetic field applied thereto by the write transducer is removed. The direction of the magnetization matches the direction of the applied magnetic field. The magnetization of the recording medium layer 13 can subsequently produce an electrical response in a read transducer, or read “head”, allowing the stored information to be read.
So-called “perpendicular” recording media have been found to be superior to the more conventional “longitudinal” media in achieving very high bit densities. In perpendicular magnetic recording media, residual magnetization is formed in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the magnetic medium, typically a layer of a magnetic material on a suitable substrate. Very high linear recording densities are obtainable by utilizing a “single-pole” magnetic transducer or “head” with such perpendicular magnetic media.
Efficient, high bit density recording utilizing a perpendicular magnetic medium requires interposition of a relatively thick (as compared with the magnetic recording layer), magnetically “soft” underlayer (“SUL”), i.e., a magnetic layer having a relatively low coercivity below about 100 Oe, such as of a NiFe alloy (Permalloy), between the non-magnetic substrate, e.g., of glass, aluminum (Al) or an Al-based alloy, and the magnetically “hard” recording layer having relatively high coercivity, typically about 3-8 kOe, e.g., of a cobalt-based alloy (e.g., a Co—Cr alloy such as CoCrPtB) having perpendicular anisotropy. The magnetically soft underlayer serves to guide magnetic flux emanating from the head through the hard, perpendicular magnetic recording layer.
A typical conventional perpendicular recording system 20 utilizing a vertically oriented magnetic medium 21 with a relatively thick soft magnetic underlayer, a relatively thin hard magnetic recording layer, and a single-pole head, is illustrated in FIG. 2, wherein reference numerals 10, 11A, 4, 5, and 6, respectively, indicate a non-magnetic substrate, an adhesion layer (optional), a soft magnetic underlayer, at least one non-magnetic interlayer, and at least one perpendicular hard magnetic recording layer. Reference numerals 7 and 8, respectively, indicate the single and auxiliary poles of a single-pole magnetic transducer head 16. The relatively thin interlayer 5 (also referred to as an “intermediate” layer), comprised of one or more layers of non-magnetic materials, serves to (1) prevent magnetic interaction between the soft underlayer 4 and the at least one hard recording layer 6 and (2) promote desired microstructural and magnetic properties of the at least one hard recording layer.
As shown by the arrows in the figure indicating the path of the magnetic flux φ, flux φ is seen as emanating from single pole 7 of single-pole magnetic transducer head 16, entering and passing through the at least one vertically oriented, hard magnetic recording layer 5 in the region below single pole 7, entering and traveling within soft magnetic underlayer 3 for a distance, and then exiting therefrom and passing through the at least one perpendicular hard magnetic recording layer 6 in the region below auxiliary pole 8 of single-pole magnetic transducer head 16. The direction of movement of perpendicular magnetic medium 21 past transducer head 16 is indicated in the figure by the arrow above medium 21.
With continued reference to FIG. 2, vertical lines 9 indicate grain boundaries of polycrystalline layers 5 and 6 of the layer stack constituting medium 21. Magnetically hard main recording layer 6 is formed on interlayer 5, and while the grains of each polycrystalline layer may be of differing widths (as measured in a horizontal direction) represented by a grain size distribution, they are generally in vertical registry (i.e., vertically “correlated” or aligned).
Completing the layer stack is a protective overcoat layer 14, such as of a diamond-like carbon (DLC), formed over hard magnetic layer 6, and a lubricant topcoat layer 15, such as of a perfluoropolyethylene material, formed over the protective overcoat layer.
Substrate 10 is typically disk-shaped and comprised of a non-magnetic metal or alloy, e.g., Al or an Al-based alloy, such as Al—Mg having an Ni—P plating layer on the deposition surface thereof, or substrate 10 is comprised of a suitable glass, ceramic, glass-ceramic, polymeric material, or a composite or laminate of these materials. Optional adhesion layer 11, if present, may comprise an up to about 40 Å thick layer of a material such as Ti or a Ti alloy. Soft magnetic underlayer 4 is typically comprised of an about 500 to about 4,000 Å thick layer of a soft magnetic material selected from the group consisting of Ni, NiFe (Permalloy), Co, CoZr, CoZrCr, CoZrNb, CoFeZrNb, CoFe, Fe, FeN, FeSiAl, FeSiAlN, FeCoB, FeCoC, etc. Interlayer 5 typically comprises an up to about 300 Å thick layer or layers of non-magnetic material(s), such as Ru, TiCr, Ru/CoCr37Pt6, RuCr/CoCrPt, etc.; and the at least one hard magnetic layer 6 is typically comprised of an about 100 to about 250 Å thick layer(s) of Co-based alloy(s) including one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Cr, Fe, Ta, Ni, Mo, Pt, V, Nb, Ge, B, and Pd, iron nitrides or oxides, or a (CoX/Pd or Pt)n multilayer magnetic superlattice structure, where n is an integer from about 10 to about 25. Each of the alternating, thin layers of Co-based magnetic alloy of the superlattice is from about 2 to about 3.5 Å thick, X is an element selected from the group consisting of Cr, Ta, B, Mo, Pt, W, and Fe, and each of the alternating thin, non-magnetic layers of Pd or Pt is up to about 10 Å thick. Each type of hard magnetic recording layer material has perpendicular anisotropy arising from magneto-crystalline anisotropy (1st type) and/or interfacial anisotropy (2nd type).
A currently employed way of classifying magnetic recording media is on the basis by which the magnetic grains of the recording layer are mutually separated, i.e., segregated, in order to physically and magnetically de-couple the grains and provide improved media performance characteristics. According to this classification scheme, magnetic media with Co-based alloy magnetic recording layers (e.g., CoCr alloys) are classified into two distinct types: (1) a first type, wherein segregation of the grains occurs by diffusion of Cr atoms of the magnetic layer to the grain boundaries of the layer to form Cr-rich grain boundaries, which diffusion process requires heating of the media substrate during formation (deposition) of the magnetic layer; and (2) a second type, wherein segregation of the grains occurs by formation of non-magnetic oxides, nitrides, and/or carbides at the boundaries between adjacent magnetic grains to form so-called “granular” media, which oxides, nitrides, and/or carbides may be formed by introducing a minor amount of at least one reactive gas containing oxygen, nitrogen, and/or carbon atoms (e.g. O2, N2, CO2, etc.) to the inert gas (e.g., Ar) atmosphere during sputter deposition of the Co alloy-based magnetic layer.
Magnetic recording media with granular magnetic recording layers possess great potential for achieving ultra-high areal recording densities. More specifically, magnetic recording media based upon granular recording layers offer the possibility of satisfying the ever-increasing demands on thin film magnetic recording media in terms of coercivity (Hc), remanent coercivity (Hcr), magnetic remanence (Mr), coercivity squareness (S*), signal-to-medium noise ratio (SMNR), and thermal stability, as determined by KμV, where Kμ is the magnetic anisotropy constant of the magnetic material and V is the volume of the magnetic grain(s). In addition to the requirements imposed upon aforementioned magnetic performance parameters by the demand for high performance, high areal recording density media, increasingly more stringent demands are made on the flying height of the read/write transducer head, i.e., head-to-media separation (“HMS”). Specifically, since the read/write sensitivity (or signal) of the transducer head is inversely proportional to the spacing between the lower edge of the transducer head and the magnetic recording layer of the media, reduction of the flying height is essential.
As indicated above, current methodology for manufacturing granular-type magnetic recording media involves reactive sputtering of the magnetic recording layer in a reactive gas-containing sputtering atmosphere, e.g., an O2/Ar and/or N2/Ar atmosphere, in order to incorporate oxides and/or nitrides therein and achieve smaller and more isolated magnetic grains. In this regard, it is believed that the introduction of O2 and/or N2 into the Ar sputtering atmosphere provides a source of O2 and/or N2 that migrates to the inter-granular boundaries and forms non-magnetic oxides and/or nitrides within the boundaries, thereby providing a structure with reduced exchange coupling between adjacent magnetic grains. However, magnetic films formed according to such methodology typically are very porous and rough-surfaced compared to media formed utilizing conventional techniques. Corrosion and environmental testing of granular recording media indicate very poor resistance to corrosion and environmental influences, and even relatively thick carbon-based protective overcoats, e.g., ˜40 Å thick, provide inadequate resistance to corrosion and environmental attack. Studies have determined that the root cause of the poor corrosion performance of granular magnetic recording media is incomplete coverage of the surface of the magnetic recording layer by the protective overcoat (typically carbon), due to high nano-scale roughness, porous oxide grain boundaries, and/or poor carbon adhesion to oxides.
Previous studies (disclosed in commonly assigned, co-pending application Ser. No. 10/776,223, filed Feb. 12, 2004, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference) have demonstrated that corrosion performance of granular magnetic recording media may be improved by ion etching (e.g., sputter etching) the surface of the granular magnetic recording layer(s) prior to deposition thereon of the carbon protective overcoat layer. However, a disadvantage associated with such methodology is that since the magnetic recording layer(s) is (are) subject to direct ion etching, magnetic material is removed, and as a result, the magnetic properties are altered.
Another approach for improving corrosion resistance of granular magnetic recording media (disclosed in commonly assigned, co-pending application Ser. No. 11/249,469, filed Oct. 14, 2005, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference) comprises formation of a thin, non-magnetic cap layer over the granular magnetic recording layer, followed by ion etching of the exposed surface of the cap layer prior to deposition of a protective overcoat layer (typically carbon-containing) thereon. An advantage afforded by provision of the cap layer is that the magnetic layer(s) underlying the cap layer is (are) effectively shielded from etching, hence damage, by the ion bombardment sputter etching process, and disadvantageous alteration of the magnetic properties and characteristics of the as-deposited, optimized magnetic recording layer(s) is effectively eliminated while maintaining the improved corrosion resistance of the media provided by etching of the media surface prior to deposition of the protective overcoat layer. However, a drawback of this approach is the disadvantageous increase in the HMS arising from the presence of the non-magnetic cap layer in the layer structure overlying the granular magnetic recording layer.
Yet another approach for mitigating the problem of corrosion susceptibility of granular magnetic recording media (disclosed in commonly assigned, co-pending application Ser. No. 11/154,637, filed Jun. 17, 2005, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference) comprises formation of a thin, magnetic cap layer containing magnetic grains and non-magnetic grain boundaries over the granular magnetic recording layer prior to deposition of a protective overcoat layer (typically carbon-containing) thereon. According to this approach, the magnetic cap layer: (1) serves to protect the principal granular magnetic recording layer from corrosion; (2) has substantially oxide-free grain boundaries with higher density and lower average porosity than the grain boundaries of the principal granular magnetic recording layer; (3) has a lower average surface roughness than the principal granular magnetic recording layer; and (4) serves both as a magnetically functional layer and a corrosion protection layer, thereby mitigating the drawback associated by the increased HMS.
The continuing requirements for increased recording density and high performance of magnetic media, particularly in hard disk form, necessitates parallel increases in Bit Error Rate (“BER”) and SMNR requirements. As a consequence, and notwithstanding the notable improvements in media performance afforded by the above-described principal granular magnetic recording layer+magnetic cap layer approach for providing corrosion-resistant, high areal recording density, high performance granular magnetic recording media, further improvement in granular media technology and performance for meeting the increased BER and SMNR requirements of high performance disk drives is considered of utmost significance.
In view of the foregoing, there exists a clear need for methodology for manufacturing high areal recording density, high performance granular-type longitudinal and perpendicular magnetic recording media with improved corrosion resistance and optimal magnetic properties, which methodology is fully compatible with the requirements of high product throughput, cost-effective, automated manufacture of such high performance magnetic recording media.
The present invention, therefore, addresses and solves the above-described problems, drawbacks, and disadvantages associated with the aforementioned methodology for the manufacture of high performance magnetic recording media comprising granular-type magnetic recording layers, while maintaining full compatibility with all aspects of automated manufacture of magnetic recording media.